Little Mattie Campground

White River National Forest — lakeside, fishing

Location: Carbondale, CO, CO

Price: From $29 per night

Rating: 4.4 out of 5 (50 reviews)

Season: May through October

Located approximately 14 miles eat of Basalt, CO, in the White River National Forest, Little Mattie Campground is situated on the Ruedi Reservoir at an elevation of 7800 feet. Sites are open to the starry nighttime skies and access to the lake and trails. It sits amid a mixed conifer forest and offers an ideal setting for guest seeking recreation and relaxation.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Bear Boxes, Fishing, Boat Launch

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/little-mattie-campground to be notified when sites open up.

Little Mattie Campground offers a peaceful, wooded setting on Ruedi Reservoir at 7,800 feet elevation with access to fishing, boating, and hiking trails. Campers consistently praise the quiet atmosphere, spacious sites, and beautiful natural surroundings.

Wildlife alert: Mountain lions, elk (wapiti), golden-mantled ground squirrels, and bald eagles present in the area—use bear boxes provided and practice wildlife safety.

Insider tips for Little Mattie Campground: Book early—this is a popular federal campground with only 18-19 sites. RV maximum length is 30 feet; most sites lack hookups, so arrive self-contained. Fish directly off the bank near campsites for easy trout access. Sites are wooded and open to starry skies—bring a headlamp and enjoy night sky viewing.

Skip Little Mattie Campground if: You need RV hookups—most sites have none despite electric hookup amenities listed.. You require year-round camping—seasonal closure November through April.. You prefer developed campgrounds—this is a rustic forest service facility with vault toilets only..

Best time to visit Little Mattie Campground: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.. June-August — Peak season for water activities and fishing on Ruedi Reservoir..

Nearby campgrounds: Little Maud Campground (Carbondale, CO), Ruedi Marina Campground (CARBONDALE , CO), Dearhamer Campground (CARBONDALE, CO), Chapman Campground And Group (Carbondale, CO).

Cell Phone Coverage at Little Mattie Campground

Cell signal at Little Mattie Campground (Carbondale, CO): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›CO›Little Mattie Campground
Little Mattie Campground — photo 1
Little Mattie Campground — photo 2
Little Mattie Campground — photo 3
White River National Forest — lakeside, fishingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Little Mattie Campground

Share:
Carbondale, CO, CO★ 4.4 (50 reviews)From $29/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Located approximately 14 miles eat of Basalt, CO, in the White River National Forest, Little Mattie Campground is situated on the Ruedi Reservoir at an elevation of 7800 feet. Sites are open to the starry nighttime skies and access to the lake and trails. It sits amid a mixed conifer forest and offers an ideal setting for guest seeking recreation and relaxation.

Best for:AnglersBoatersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
Max RV30 ft
HookupsNo hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking WaterFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesElectric HookupsBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Vault ToiletsBear Boxes

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups—most sites have none despite electric hookup amenities listed.✕ You require year-round camping—seasonal closure November through April.✕ You prefer developed campgrounds—this is a rustic forest service facility with vault toilets only.

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a popular federal campground with only 18-19 sites.

RV maximum length is 30 feet; most sites lack hookups, so arrive self-contained.

Fish directly off the bank near campsites for easy trout access.

Sites are wooded and open to starry skies

bring a headlamp and enjoy night sky viewing.

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Best: June-August

Peak season for water activities and fishing on Ruedi Reservoir.

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Mountain lions, elk (wapiti), golden-mantled ground squirrels, and bald eagles present in the area—use bear boxes provided and practice wildlife safety.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
(970) 927-0107· White River National Forest
Getting there →

Take I-70 west of Denver to Glenwood Springs Exit 116, Highway 82 to Basalt. At Basalt, take Frying Pan Road 15 miles to the Ruedi Complex Entrance.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — White River National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at White River National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Little Mattie Campground cost per night?+
Little Mattie Campground costs $29 per night. Hookup options: No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What season is Little Mattie Campground open?+
Little Mattie Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Little Mattie Campground have hookups?+
No hookups. Suitable for self-contained RVs.
What is the maximum RV length at Little Mattie Campground?+
Little Mattie Campground can accommodate RVs up to 30 feet.
How do I make reservations at Little Mattie Campground?+
Little Mattie Campground is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Little Mattie Campground?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Little Mattie Campground is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Little Mattie Campground open, and what are check-in times?+
Little Mattie Campground is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

American Land and Leisure
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$29 /night★ 4.4 (50)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Little Mattie Campground cost per night?+
What season is Little Mattie Campground open?+
Does Little Mattie Campground have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Little Maud Campground

Carbondale, CO

From $32/night

Ruedi Marina Campground

CARBONDALE , CO

From $29/night

Dearhamer Campground

CARBONDALE, CO

From $29/night

Chapman Campground And Group

Carbondale, CO

From $30/night

Own a campground nearby?

List free on CamperWatch — we take 5% only on bookings we send. No monthly fee.

List your campground →
$29 /nightNo booking fees
+TRIPCheck availability